Ebola Scare: Delhi Airport Issues Health Advisory Amid Outbreak Concerns

New Delhi:  Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi on Thursday issued a health advisory for passengers over Ebola virus and also urged sick travellers arriving from or transiting through affected countries to 'immediately' report to airport's health authorities foe screening.

Who has issued the advisory?

The advisory is issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Union Health Ministry. The high alert has been imposed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it an international health emergency. 

The Delhi Airport Authority and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) have issued a new health advisory for passengers arriving from abroad.

What is there in the advisory?

This advisory applies specifically to those arriving in India directly or via other countries from Ebola-affected countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. Health screenings for passengers have been intensified at airports, and arrangements have been made for immediate medical examination of those with suspicious symptoms.

The government said that there's no need to panic, but caution is essential. The health department advises travelers to immediately consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting, or body aches, and to report their travel history.

Which passengers will be screened?

Passengers arriving from these three countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, will be under special surveillance. According to guidelines issued by the airport authority, three countries have been categorized as "high-risk countries." Passengers arriving in Delhi after traveling to or via connecting flights from these countries will be subject to intensive screening.

Highlights of the advisory

The Airport Health Organisation (APHO) deployed at Delhi Airport has appealed to the passengers not to hide their health conditions and strictly follow the following rules:-

Report symptoms immediately: If a traveler is experiencing early symptoms of Ebola upon landing at the airport, they should immediately contact the airport health officer or health desk before proceeding to the immigration clearance counter.

Fluid contact information: If a traveler suspects that they have come into direct contact with the blood or fluids of an Ebola-infected patient during or before travel, they must immediately report this information to the medical team.

What are the symptoms?

In the advisory, the Health Department has released a list of the major symptoms associated with the Ebola virus, ignoring which can prove fatal:

• High fever and headache
• extreme weakness or fatigue
• severe muscle pain
• vomiting and diarrhea
• sore throat or pain
• Sudden or unexplained bleeding